Abstract

Several chitin-binding proteins were isolated from the “bottom fraction” of Hevea brasiliensis (Müll.) Arg. latex. One of these chitin-binding proteins is hevein, a small monomeric protein which strongly resembles the lectin from stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.). Like the latter, hevein showed strong antifungal activity against several fungi in vitro. The possible involvement of this protein in the defense against invasion by potentially pathogenic fungi is discussed.

Key words

Abbreviations

FPLC

fast protein liquid chromatography

Mr

apparent molecular mass

SDS-PAGE

Sodium dodecyl sulp-hatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

UDA

Urtica dioica agglutinin

WGA

Wheat-germ agglutinin

This work is supported in part by NIH grant and grants of the National Fund for Scientific Research (Belgium): W.J.P. is senior research associate, and W.F.B. senior research assistant of this fund. J.V.P. receives a fellowship of the Belgian Instituut tot Aanmoediging van het Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek in Nijverheid en Landbouw.

Broekaert, W.F. (1988) Chitinases and chitin-binding lectins in plants: a biochemical and physiological study of their role in the natural protection of plants against fungi. Dissertationes de agricultura 165, Fakulteit Landbouw-wetenschappen, K.U. LeuvenGoogle Scholar